1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance system.
2. Description of Related Art
A driving assistance system that performs inter-vehicle distance control (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control) for controlling an inter-vehicle distance between a forward vehicle and a subject vehicle has been proposed. Under the ACC, when a forward vehicle that travels in front of the subject vehicle is detected, the subject vehicle follows the forward vehicle such that the inter-vehicle distance between the forward vehicle and the subject vehicle is controlled to an inter-vehicle distance appropriate to the speed of the subject vehicle. When no forward vehicle is detected, the subject vehicle is controlled so as to travel at a constant speed that is set by the driver. As one form of the ACC, full speed range ACC for controlling the inter-vehicle distance between the forward vehicle and the subject vehicle over the full vehicle speed range has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-123993 (JP 2013-123993 A)). When the forward vehicle stops, the full speed range ACC causes the subject vehicle to be stopped while keeping an appropriate inter-vehicle distance. When the forward vehicle resumes traveling, the full speed range ACC notifies or informs the driver of permission of starting (in other words, starting of the forward vehicle) via screen display, and resumes following traveling of the subject vehicle if the driver performs a starting operation.
Also, a driving assistance system that performs a forward vehicle start notifying function (LVN: Leading Vehicle movement Notice) of notifying the driver of starting of a forward vehicle has been proposed. When the driver continues to stop his/her own vehicle (subject vehicle) without noticing starting of the forward vehicle, such as when waiting at a traffic light, the system notifies the driver of starting of the forward vehicle, via sound and screen display.